Agenda item - Children's Social Work Model of Practice

Report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning (copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted this report and its contents including the next steps.

75.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which updated the Committee on the implementation and progress of the changes that were introduced in children’s social work services in October 2015. The report was introduced by the Principal Social Worker Children’s Services.

75.2    Councillor Hills said that safeguarding children was an important role of the Council and noted the impressive level of improvement in the service. The latest Ofsted rated the service as ‘Good’ and asked what could be done to make the service ‘Outstanding’. The Principal Social Worker said that two areas were identified in the last Ofsted inspection, one was how we support social workers to record information which would be meaningful for both other practitioners and children and families, and the second was improving support for children in need. To address those areas the Team would be moving to a new recording and IT system in April 2021, and now had a more robust process in place to support children in need which included providing more regular reviews and more managerial oversight of the work.

75.3    Councillor Hills was pleased to note the involvement of families in the evaluation of the service and asked for more information on how families would be consulted and on what aspects. The Principal Social Worker said that there were two pieces of work being taken forward. One was looking at parents leading the next evaluation of the service and the second was involving parents in setting up a peer mentoring project.

75.4    Councillor Allcock noted the change of process in 2015 to not use agency staff where possible and asked how much money had been saved since then. The Principal Social Worker Children’s Services said that around £9m had been saved by not using agency staff, and after you had accounted for the salary of permanent staff the saving was around £6m.

75.5    Councillor Brown was pleased to note the high level of continuity of a social workers working with children and families which was good for everyone concerned, the reduction in use of agency social workers and that vulnerable children were still having face to face contact with their social workers.

75.6    RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report.